Olympics: Finland G Noora Raty announces retirement due to lack of women's pro league

[intangible]

I think a lot of people on this board and in general severely underestimate the amount of female hockey/sports fans.
Maybe they wouldn't all watch a women's league, but a lot would especially if it is cheaper than NHL tickets.
Imagine how many more young girls would get into the game if they had local heroes to watch?

I only know maybe 5 women who are true hockey fans (the ones who don't just go to the arena because their guy wants to, drinks a ton, and acts dumb). Of those 5 women, all 5 have a favorite player who they think is hot.. and follow them and their teams constantly, but pretty much nothing else.

Now, I'm not saying there aren't women hockey fans who appreciate the skill/talent instead of the attractiveness of the male, but it's a far, far lower percentage of those who even follow hockey regularly at all for any reason. I'm just not seeing the opportunity there. Not now, anyhow.

 

[SlingshotVv]

Where you're going wrong is that you're assuming women will pay to watch other women play a sport, and that has yet to be proven in any attempt in the history of women's sports. The number of women who even played sports competitively is small enough, then you think women are going to willfully watch other women play sports? That's not just unlikely; it's hilariously unlikely. Unless the fanbase is male driven or male accepted, there's little to no money to be made in women's professional hockey, unfortunately. Not saying that's right, but that's the way it is.

My point had nothing to do with women watching women play a sport. It had to do with it bring a viable option for women to pursue, therefore more youth leagues, more high school slots, and more young girls that learn hockey because it's one if the few sports they can pursue. And people that learn the rules if a sport have a massive higher chance at becoming fans. And those fans will want to watch the best product, which will be the NHL, along with the women's league

 

[Lux Aurumque*]

I'd go support a local team in a women's pro league. Can't be any worse than watching the Oilers.

The AJHL survives, as do its counterparts in BC and Ontario. A women's pro league could survive. Put teams in Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, and Vancouver, add a team somewhere in Minnesota, maybe one in New York, and see how things go.

 

[CHfan1]

I'd go support a local team in a women's pro league. Can't be any worse than watching the Oilers.

The AJHL survives, as do its counterparts in BC and Ontario. A women's pro league could survive. Put teams in Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, and Vancouver, add a team somewhere in Minnesota, maybe one in New York, and see how things go.

The AJHL survives because travel costs are low and they are young kids supported by their parents.

With your scenario above travel costs are way higher, say a flight from Vancouver to New York return is $1000, and a hotel room is $200 a night, plus meals, for coaches/players going there it's going to cost around $30000 per trip, no way they can afford that. Cut that in half and still no way they can afford that for an entire season.

As well these are adult women who have to support themselves as well, so they have to work or have some other means of support since they won't make enough playing hockey, if any at all.

 

[crowi]

I find it hard to watch women's hockey even in Olympics and it's our team playing. It's too slow and there isn't anything physical about the game at all.

Perhaps some sexual equality group can put their money down to create a league?

 

[Luca]

I would watch it if players wear only Nice sexy lingerie. Otherwise no way!

 

[Franck]

It would be much easier to set up a women's professional league in Europe than in North America, the travel costs would be much lower and the general sports economic climate where sponsors are more important than ticket sales or TV deals would make things much more feasible.

Unfortunately women's hockey is a complete afterthought in Sweden, so unless major change is imminent it definitely won't happen here.

Soccer ? ... Is there really a Woman's pro league that is discussed on the international landscape ?

Players get paid pretty well in Germany, France and Sweden and the leagues are stable and receive a decent amount of media coverage.

 

[Misleader]

I would watch it if players wear only Nice sexy lingerie. Otherwise no way!

Is this pro enough for Räty?

http://bikinihockeyleague.com/

Edit: nevermind this might be roller hockey.

 

[Sleepy]

I don't see how it would work, too far down the viewing schedule:

Think of the importance rankings for basketball:

1. NBA
2. NCAA (prospects)
3. Women's NCAA
4. WNBA/D-League/(Olympics?)

Now think of the NHL:

1. NHL
2. Olympics
3. WJC's
4. NCAA/AHL
5. Women's WC/Olympics
6. KHL/Other Leagues?
7. Women's Pro League

Would love to see TV ratings for some of these as well. There's a lot of competition for hockey viewing I'll also say women's hockey is way more enjoyable to watch and has more in common with the men's sport than women's ball.... but I could say the same thing about some high level beer league play.

 

[Devilsfan118]

I'm sorry, but professional sports are a business before anything else..and I can't see a female hockey league making any serious money.

Think WNBA..and then think even less fans, TV air time, TV revenue, ticket sales...etc.

Not feasible, sorry.

 

[1UP]

Without it being heavily subsidized out of the heart of either some rich people or organisations wanting to grow the sport, I don't see it happening.

Sportively, it would be great. Attendance however would be poor. And money wise, it would be one hell of a pit, especially if the league is continent-wide.

 

[Pure West]

Not going to work as a self-sustaining league....particularly one that can pay the players a reasonable amount so they can focus on being full time athletes. Minor pro leagues aren't exactly big money makers, and there have been women's pro leagues that have tried and failed in the past.

Perhaps funded by a combination of Hockey Canada/USA hockey.....and with a small 6-8 team league or so concentrated in the east to limit travel....maybe that could work. Its still going to require a lot of money losing from some generous owners. There's very few female professional athletes that make much money.....you're looking at tennis and figure skating....and that's about it.

 

[chauron]

Noora Räty continues her career and signed a deal with Finnish Mens team. The team is Kiekko-Vantaa and it plays in Mestis which is practically 1st division under mens premier league SM-Liiga (FEL).

http://yle.fi/urheilu/noora_raty_teki_sopimuksen_mestis-seuran_kanssa/7127427

 

[saintflannel]

I wonder if she's still done with the national team.

 

[Erikfromfin]

Same league where Wickenheiser played against men.

 

[Lempo]

I wonder if she's still done with the national team.

Considering that the retirement came originally with condition ("unless she gets to play some games in Mestis") , and that very condition seems to now have been met, I should say no.

 

[JoeCool16]

Noora Räty continues her career and signed a deal with Finnish Mens team. The team is Kiekko-Vantaa and it plays in Mestis which is practically 1st division under mens premier league SM-Liiga (FEL).

http://yle.fi/urheilu/noora_raty_teki_sopimuksen_mestis-seuran_kanssa/7127427

Ahh yes, the team that's fostering all those South Korean players, developing them for their national team in 2018. I guess they can help develop them AND help develop Women's hockey at the same time?

 

[Mogo]

Kiekko Vantaa = Finland's NY Islanders

 

[Snowsii]

Same league where Wickenheiser played against men.

Didnt she play in Suomi - League? That's one below, of Mestis..

 

[JoeCool16]

Didnt she play in Suomi - League? That's one below, of Mestis..

She played in both briefly.
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=13346

 

[Jack DiBiase]

Didnt she play in Suomi - League? That's one below, of Mestis..

The team got promoted to Mestis the next season. She stayed in for a while in the beginning, but the level (Mestis) just was way too high for her.

EDIT: Can't believe it was 10 years ago.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

I've seen a few people say Toronto could support a team as its Canada's largest hockey market. While that may be true, look at the abundance of other, higher quality hockey you can watch here. Two ahl teams very close by, junior teams. Heck, Brampton couldn't support their junior team and Mississauga's attendance is poor and that's better hockey. What makes anyone think people would go to women's games with all the other options?

 

[Emppu]

Great news, let's see what happens next season. I wish her luck

 

[Shootmaster_44]

I've seen a few people say Toronto could support a team as its Canada's largest hockey market. While that may be true, look at the abundance of other, higher quality hockey you can watch here. Two ahl teams very close by, junior teams. Heck, Brampton couldn't support their junior team and Mississauga's attendance is poor and that's better hockey. What makes anyone think people would go to women's games with all the other options?

Toronto already has a team in the Canadian Women's Hockey League called the Toronto Furies, which incidentally is supported by the Leafs. However, the fact you didn't know about it further illustrates your point.

I noticed that some posters are pointing to the CJHL and its member leagues as a point to illustrate support. The fact is the CWHL is essentially that model and it draws flies. The only way the CWHL were to go pro is to follow the WNBA model and be owned by NHL teams and play in the off-season. If the CWHL were to have the NHL fully onboard and with it their sponsors and TV clout (in Canada at least), it might make a go. Considering that minor league baseball and to an extent minor league hockey survive on this model, it could fly.

Quite honestly, the best way to run a league like this is to keep it out of NHL cities (except perhaps Ottawa where women's hockey seems to do well with international teams) and put teams in places where they will be big fish in a small pond. Perhaps look at CHL cities like Saskatoon, Kelowna, Red Deer, London, Halifax etc. look at places that lack NHL teams, but where minor league sports has flourished in the past. That would be your key for franchises, if tickets were in the CHL price point, I could see the CWHL (WNHL whatever you want to call it) do well in the summer.

Frankly, I've often thought a men's summer league in CHL cities would do well. Baseball and basketball have leagues that run in the offseason and do well. I see no reason why a May to August league couldn't work for non-NHL players. So if a women's league were in this timeframe, I could see TV coverage as really TSN and Sportsnet have little to cover beyond MLB and car racing through this time period (yes they have some of the NHL playoffs in May, but there is always TSN2 or SNet 360). But playing in the winter is not going to work as there is too much going on for another hockey league to survive.

 

[Phil Parent]

Quite honestly, the best way to run a league like this is to keep it out of NHL cities (except perhaps Ottawa where women's hockey seems to do well with international teams) and put teams in places where they will be big fish in a small pond. Perhaps look at CHL cities like Saskatoon, Kelowna, Red Deer, London, Halifax etc. look at places that lack NHL teams, but where minor league sports has flourished in the past.

The city for that in Quebec could be Trois-Rivières. 130k population, 6th or 7th biggest city in the province. No QMJHL team since 1992 due to league politics, only an NAHL team.

Could work.